Cloth-conditioning machine and process



Uct. 19 1926a J. V. CLEMENT CLOTH CONDITIONING MACHINE AND FROG- S Filed August 10 I Patented Oct. 19, 1926.

UNETED rarest JOHN V. CLEMENT, OF W'OONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND.

CLOTH-CONDITIONING MACHINE AND PROCESS.

Application filed August 10, 1825.

This invention relates to the conditioning of certain kinds of cloth which after manufacture have imparted to them a certain amount of moisture for the purpose of n' bringing them into proper condition for shipment and storage.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a continuous process for conditioning cloth and to provide mechanism b which Will permit of the introduction of a small percentage of moisture into the cloth Without any danger of actually wetting any regions thereof so as to injure it and, in fact, to secure a uniform result throughout the entire length of cloth and throughout a plurality of lengths.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter:

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of one section of a cloth conditioning 1nachine constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is aside view of the same with the cloth broken away to show the construction;

Fig. 3 is a sectional VlOW on the line 33 of Fig. 2 on a very much enlarged scale; and

Fig. 4 is a side view on the same scale 30 with parts broken away.

The present mode of conditioning certain kinds of cloth is to subject them to the action of steam or moisture in such a way that they are over-moistened and then have to be dried 5 down again. Some of the processes are not capable of securing a uniform result. The present invention is designed to secure the desired result in a uniform manner and in such a way that the cloth can be moistened just enough and will not require drying again to remove excess moisture.

For that purpose I have provided a tank or series of tanks 10, each having therein a standard comprising a sheet metal casing ll perforated substantially throughout its area. These perforations are formed by pricking the metal through from the inside and leaving projections 12 on the outside. This metal preferably is tin or some thin material and the standard is flat on both sides and rounded in the form of a semi-cylinder at the top. On the outside of the casing 11 is placed a rather thick layer of felt 13 secured in position on the standard by ll'lfi 'lllqiiittl. projections 12 as described. The felt there Serial No. 49,186.

fore is held securely in position and extends throughout the area of the standard on both sides and on top. This whole standard is of a width at least as great as the width of the cloth to be conditioned.

Through the center of the standard at the top extends a water pipe 15 which is perforated at least around its upper portion to cause the water to be sprayed on the inside of the metallic wall 11 at the top. This water is discharged in a spray all around and the surplus runs down the walls into the tank 10 in which this standard is located. On account of the perforations a small proportion of the water works out into the felt and keeps the layer of felt moistened at all times. This felt can take up a certain percentage of water but as the force of gravity is always acting to take the water down away from the felt and there are no sprays of water directly against the felt the latter will not become thoroughly saturated.

I provide guide rolls at various points for the purpose of guiding the fabric 21 over and around this standard. The cloth is run over the standard slowly. It will be seen that as the cloth or fabric extends throughout the length of the standard and crosswise of the tank and surrounds it on three sides,

the moisture in the felt will be taken up in a slight degree by the fabric and that this action will not take place at any one area or location but throughout the whole length of the fabric.

This, therefore, is a gradual process and there is no danger of getting the fabric too moist. The fabric encloses the moistened standard and there is no place for moisture to escape except at the ends and these can be closed if desired. It will be understood of course that I have shown only one section of this machine. It is intended that the cloth pass over a plurality of these devices in ordinary cases so as to secure a more thorough conditioning thereof during the process. It has been found in practice that the results are more uniform than those obtained by other forms of conditioning machines.

Although I have illustrated and described only a single form of the invention I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims.

Therefore I do wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described, but what I do claim is 1. In a cloth conditioning machine, the combination with a hollow standard closed at the top, its walls being perforated at slight intervals, a cover of absorbent material over the surface thereof, means for spraying moisture into the interior of the standard to permit the moisture to enter the absorbent material, and means for leading a length of clotharound the outside of the standard, out of contact with said cover but close to it, to takeup moisture from the absorbent material.

2. In a cloth conditioning machine, the combination with a hollow standard having two parallel side walls enclosed at the top, said Walls being perforated at slight intervals, throughout their areas, a cover of absorbent material over the entire surface thereof, means for spraying moisture into the interior of the space between said walls near the top to permit the moisture to enter the absorbent material through the perforations, and means for leading a length of cloth around the outside thereof, out of con tact with said cover-butclose to it, to take up moisture from the absorbent material.

3. In a. cloth conditioning machine, the combination with a water tank and means for guiding a length of cloth to travel from a position near the top of thetank upwardly then horizontally'an'd then downwardly to the tank again, of a hollow standard within the path of the cloth having perforated walls, a covering of absorbent material over said standard close to the path of the cloth but. not in contact therewith,and means for introducing a water spray into the interior of the standard whereby the water spray contacts with the inner surface of the standard but does not directly impinge upon the absorbent material.

4. In a cloth conditioning machine, the combination with a water tank and means for guiding a length of cloth to travel from a position near the top of the tank upwardly then horizontally and then downwardly to the tank again, of a hollow standard in said tank having perforated walls extending across the tank throughout the width of the fabric to be conditioned and through practically the height to which the cloth e:-;- tends from the tank, a covering of felt over said standard close to the path of the cloth but not in contact therewith, and means for introducing a cold Water spray intothe interior of the standard at the top thereof, whereby the water spray contacts with the inner surface of the standard but doesnot directly impinge upon the felt.

5. The method of conditioning cloth which consists in running the cloth continously in a path around a space in the interior of which space is a stationary body of absorbent material close to the path of the cloth but not in contact therewith and introducing a spray of water on the interior surface of said absorbent material near the top thereof indirectly moistening the absorbent material so that the moisture from the absorbent material can then be taken up gradually and uniformly by the fabric.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

JOHN V. CLEMEJ I 

